VIEW FROM THE TOP
ADVANCED TECH AT CENTER OF CUSTOMER-FOCUSED VISION ALEJANDRO LUPIAÑEZ Vice President of Mexico Operations at Wood
Q: How does Wood support the entire value chain of
oil rail car-based transport). Wood has a range of solutions
its clients?
adapted to this segment as well as the more traditional
A: Wood continuously follows the regulatory framework that
pipeline transmission and distribution methodologies that
applies to the country in which we operate. This includes
are used in other countries. We strive to ensure that, no
the certification process we use for our suppliers and
matter what, our clients’ business will always be profitable
processes. As a MAC integrator that always thrives to find
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the best solution in the market for its clients, compliance with norms, regulation and certifications is at the forefront
Although the current focus has been on the development
of the added value we offer to our clients. Such added
of midstream projects, we emphasize the skills we can bring
value allows us also to support the entire life cycle of the
to other sectors, such as petrochemical facilities, refineries,
client’s projects, from the conceptual engineering to the
power generation, mining and even waste treatment.
decommissioning, individually or as a whole. Q: Where can the advantages of automation and Q: Why is the Advanced Technology Center (ATC) by
digitalization be best showcased for the oil and gas
Wood, Cisco and Roue important for the Mexican oil and
industry?
gas industry?
A: The positive effects of automation and digitalization can
A: The ATC is the perfect meeting point to showcase the
be witnessed across the entire value chain of the oil and
capabilities of two of Wood’s main service lines, the Asset
gas industry. Using solutions that allow for the exploration
Solutions and the Specialist Technical Solutions business
of dangerous environments without the need for human
units, together with synergies derived from partnerships
personnel onsite is one good example. In Mexico, we can
with Cisco and Roue. With the ATC, we are establishing
see that very clearly in the short term because in certain
a space to get closer to the client, innovate and find new
regions of the country, the presence of workers can pose a
differentiators that make our company more competitive
certain type of inherent risk. Using Wood’s Remote Expert,
and completely customer-focused in its services. We
Virtual and Augmented Reality solutions, a machine can
will reach a point in which the needs of the clients can
livestream the process to a worker in a control room, from
be anticipated. This is extremely important for a main
where that same worker can control the maintenance
automation contractor (MAC) like Wood.
operations. Solutions like these can be explored at the ATC. The ATC also allows for companies to recreate a
Q: In which areas is the ATC mostly focused in terms of
specific problem they faced and seek a solution using all
applications for the oil and gas industry?
the cutting-edge technologies developed and integrated
A: While the ATC can be used to explore the integration of
by Wood. All this is done in an environment protected
services in any of the oil and gas sectors, a strong focus
by rigorous cybersecurity tools. There are two types of
is the midstream sector, especially for the transportation,
companies in the world: those that have suffered a cyber-
storage and distribution of hydrocarbons and its liquid
attack and those that are being attacked without even
derivatives. This goes hand in hand with the new and much-
knowing it. This has become an extremely important topic
needed infrastructure and brownfield revamp projects that
that is at the top of every company’s agenda.
will help companies effectively handle fuels at every stage, from their arrival at maritime terminals to the distribution points. Wood is conscious of the particularities of the
Wood i s a global leader in project delivery, engineering and
country; at this initial stage, companies investing in the
technical services to energy and industrial markets. It has
transportation and distribution of fuels prefer to use virtual
over 55,000 employees in over 60 countries and delivers
pipelines (control and automation of oil tanker trucks and
comprehensive services to support its customers